Surah an-Naml (The Ant ) 27 : 82
Translations
Pickthall
Yusuf Ali
Qur'an Dictionary
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Word | Arabic word | |
(27:82:1) wa-idhā And when |
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(27:82:2) waqaʿa (is) fulfilled |
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(27:82:3) l-qawlu the word |
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(27:82:4) |
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(27:82:5) akhrajnā We will bring forth |
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(27:82:6) |
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(27:82:7) dābbatan a creature |
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(27:82:8) |
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(27:82:9) l-arḍi the earth |
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(27:82:10) tukallimuhum speaking to them |
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(27:82:11) |
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(27:82:12) l-nāsa the people |
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(27:82:13) kānū were |
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(27:82:14) biāyātinā of Our Signs |
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(27:82:15) |
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(27:82:16) yūqinūna certain |
Explanatory Note
The sūrah then takes us on another round previewing some of the forerunners of the Day of Resurrection. It mentions the appearance of a beast that will speak to those who do not believe in God’s signs that are placed in the universe. It paints a scene of the resurrection and the rebuke levelled at those who deny God’s signs, while they stand speechless. It then quickly refers to the two signs that are always there to see, namely the night and the day, before taking us back to a horrendous image when the trumpet is blown and the mountains are made to move like clouds. It shows us the good believers safe from all this horror while those who have been errant are thrown on their faces in hell.
The first of these verses mentions a beast. The same is mentioned in many aĥādīth, some of which are authentic, but these do not give any description of it. There are descriptions of it in other aĥādīth which do not aspire to any reasonable degree of authenticity. Hence, they should be discarded. Of the many descriptions of this beast that should be so discarded are that it is 60 yards in length, that it has fluff, feathers, a beard and hoofs, that it has a bull’s head, pig’s eyes, elephant’s ears, a deer’s horns, an ostrich’s neck, a lion’s chest, a tiger’s colour, a cat’s waist, a ram’s tail and a camel’s limbs. Nothing of such descriptions is of any significance whatsoever.
It is noticeable in this sūrah that several scenes depict a dialogue between insects, birds, jinn and the Prophet Solomon. Mention of a beast that speaks to people thus fits well with those scenes, as it complements the sūrah’s overall imagery.
It is better by far to limit ourselves to the text of the Qur’ān and the authentic aĥādīth which tell us that the appearance of the beast is a presage of the Day of Resurrection. It is when the time for repentance has expired and judgement is due on those who rejected the faith that God will bring forth this beast to speak to them. Beasts normally do not speak, or rather their languages are not understood by humans. However, at this point people will understand what this beast says, and they will know that it is a miracle that heralds the Last Hour. But they were keen to deny God’s signs and the Day of Resurrection.
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Overview (Verses 82 - 90) Presages of the Last Hour |
Ibn Kathir (English)
Sayyid Qutb
Sha'rawi
Al Jalalain
Mawdudi
الطبري - جامع البيان
ابن كثير - تفسير القرآن العظيم
القرطبي - الجامع لأحكام
البغوي - معالم التنزيل
ابن أبي حاتم الرازي - تفسير القرآن
ابن عاشور - التحرير والتنوير
ابن القيم - تفسير ابن قيّم
السيوطي - الدر المنثور
الشنقيطي - أضواء البيان
ابن الجوزي - زاد المسير
الآلوسي - روح المعاني
ابن عطية - المحرر الوجيز
الرازي - مفاتيح الغيب
أبو السعود - إرشاد العقل السليم
الزمخشري - الكشاف
البقاعي - نظم الدرر
الهداية إلى بلوغ النهاية — مكي ابن أبي طالب
القاسمي - محاسن التأويل
الماوردي - النكت والعيون
السعدي - تيسير الكريم الرحمن
عبد الرحمن الثعالبي - الجواهر الحسان
السمرقندي - بحر العلوم
أبو إسحاق الثعلبي - الكشف والبيان
الشوكاني - فتح القدير
النيسابوري - التفسير البسيط
أبو حيان - البحر المحيط
البيضاوي - أنوار التنزيل
النسفي - مدارك التنزيل
ابن جُزَيّ - التسهيل لعلوم التنزيل
علي الواحدي النيسابوري - الوجيز
السيوطي - تفسير الجلالين
المختصر في التفسير — مركز تفسير
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Overview (Verses 82 - 90) Presages of the Last Hour |